This invention relates to enclosed, heavy duty, externally actuated electric switches which are characterized by their rugged and compact construction, high precision and reliability, as well as high resistance to a wide variety and range of environmental factors.
In the development of vehicles, for example terrestrial, marine and airborne vehicles, the level of ruggedness, sophistication, precision and long term reliability demanded of components, particularly in military and certain other applications, far exceeds that heretofore required in similar vehicles. Moreover, many environmental factors such as vibration, mechanical and thermal shock, high gravitational forces, changes in orientation, barometric pressure and others tend to adversely affect the operation of precision components. Precision electrical switches are typical of precision components in the nature of control devices whose operating characteristics have been particularly subject to the adverse effects of such environmental factors.